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A 16-year veteran of the San Diego Police Department was arrested on suspicion of DUI near Balboa Park. Paramedics found the detective passed out in her car, allegedly under the influence. NBC 7's Megan Tevrizian reports. (Published Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2014)

Updated at 4:46 PM PDT on Tuesday, Feb 25, 2014

A 16-year veteran of the San Diego Police Department is now under investigation after being arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, the SDPD confirmed Tuesday.

SDPD Detective Karen Almos was arrested for a DUI Saturday just before 3:30 p.m. According to the police department, Almos was passed out in her personal, parked vehicle in the 2000-block of Pan-American Plaza in the Balboa Park area when paramedics contacted her.

She was later identified as an SDPD detective and arrested on suspicion of DUI by SDPD officers, Det. Gary Hassen said. She was not in uniform at the time of her arrest.

The investigation is ongoing. Almos has been placed on administrative duties for now, pending the completion of the investigation.

The San Diego Police Department has been in the limelight in recent weeks due to ongoing investigations into sexual misconduct allegations involving two separate police officers.

Former Officer Christopher Hays, 30 – who’s no longer employed with the department, effective last week – is accused of giving several women improper pat downs on the job. Officer Donald Moncrief, 39, is accused of touching a woman inappropriately during an arrest in the South Bay last year and allegedly exposing himself to the woman.

As a result of these recent cases, SDPD Chief William Lansdowne has called for an outside audit into the police department to review how the SDPD handles misconduct among officers.